Here's a story for you:

Last week, I finally was fed up enough to take the plunge and get my hair cut. I had almost gone several times over the course of the summer, and always wavered at the crucial moment, electing to wait just a little bit longer. If there is anything I'm really cautious about, it is definitely my hair, just because I've lived through a few bad haircuts. But, I thought, no matter what it'd grow back and at the least it'd be a new adventure. Plus, I had heard that a mini-massage was included in the hair-washing, and I'm always interested in that. So with my friend Xiang Bing as my guide and translator, off I marched to the salon for a haircut, good or ill.

We found a great place, located on the second floor so that I gazed out through leafy trees at the busy shopping street below. The interior was all white tile, with white leather chairs. The staff (and they were legion) were all dressed in chic black. I immediately relaxed in the quiet bustle of the place, a haven from the crowds outside.

I was whisked off to have my hair washed, first. This is such an important ritual that there is a separate staff that does it. So my hairwasher (#68, she asked me come back and so gave me her number, but not her name) proceeded to wash the heck out of my hair. No, though my brother wondered, it wasn't just that greasy. Rather, that is how it is done. I laid on the low little bed in the hair-washing area for half an hour, at least. Mid-way through the washing, the girl asked me if I wanted my ears washed. I thought, hmmm...what the hell? When in Rome, etc. It was an included service, and it is tough to pass those up. Next thing I know, she is cupping the shampoo suds around both ears and swooshing the suds in and out of my ears. The sound and the sensation were very strange; I giggled, she giggled. I started getting visions of hopping around on one foot in the salon post-wash, trying to slosh the water back out of my ears. This was followed by the rinse cycle, when clean water was swooshed in and out of my ears. After the hair washing was done, I was surpised (and more than a little concerned) to see #68 come back with a bag of q-tips. It was time to swab the decks! This was the truly strange part, and I kept leaning my head away as she swirled the q-tip around and around in my ear. It isn't really something you enjoy (but I suppose some people must enjoy it, if they do it) and I think I do a pretty good job of keeping my ears clean on my own, but now I can say I've done it.

And, true to the reputation, after my hair and my ears were squeaky clean, I was treated to a brief massage. Chinese massage methods are different from any other I've ever encountered; a lot of pounding goes on. Rather than being truly relaxing, it is kind of soothing via punishment, if that makes sense. At one point, I thought she was hitting my shoulders with something wooden, but it was actually just the bones in her hands clicking noisily as she pounded away (Xiang Bing was my witness for that one). Next, duly washed and tenderized, it was time for the real business of the day: the cut.

My stylist (name unknown again, #11) was a very chic Chinese young man--cool clothes, pierced ear and a sinuous tattoo on his right hand. All those things are very unusual among the masses, and I could tell he prided himself on his style (which I also thought was good). General consensus in the salon seemed that #11 was a pretty lucky guy, as all the other stylists kept dropping by his station to check the progress. I explained what I wanted (same style, just a bit shorter, nothing crazy, please) and he set to work. The good news is that most of the excitement occured during the hair/ear-washing session. They are extremely fond of thinning shears, and I had to restrain #11's exuberance after a certain point. But after over two hours in the salon, I emerged with my curls intact, the usual cut with Chinese Characteristics. He also asked me to come back and request him, and I think I will. Now I really feel at home--I have a stylist!

And this is but ONE of the WILD and CRAZY adventures I've had on my week-long National Day holiday...I'll leave you with baited breath in anticipation of more tales...